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Second annual Joan Ramseyer Memorial Poetry Contest begins
HART — The second annual Joan Ramseyer Memorial Poetry Contest is underway. This year an addition of a cover-art contest. Both contests ask for literary and visual artists to submit their best work on the theme of joy.
Son of Joan, Brett Ramseyer said, “The first year of the JRMPC brought such unexpected joy, I had to make it the 2019 theme. High quality submissions arrived from Michigan, California, Iowa, New York, Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland and Hong Kong.”
2018 first prize poetry winner Shelly Thieman of Iowa said, “Brett was a pleasure to work with. He offered to continue supporting my work post-contest by offering to add news of other poems I have had published. This is so rare and refreshing in the poetry contest world!”
Ailish NicPhaidin of Florida said, “Winning third place in the inaugural competition gave me such joy that when I learned of the award I danced alone around the kitchen for thirty minutes. The staggering realization that my poems could possibly be worthy of publication left me reeling — and jigging.”
“I was in contact with Brett Ramseyer and he was warm, accessible and organized. Sunbeams, The 2018 Anthology, is beautiful, and I’m proud to have one of my poems in its pages,” said David A. Porter of Stereo Embers Magazine.
Poetry contest entry costs $10 through Submittable where there are also five donation levels for patrons interested in sustaining the contest for years to come. Due to donations poetry prize amounts tripled from 2018: first, $300; second, $150; third, $75. The new cover-art contest costs $5 for submission and pays $100 to the winner. All contest submissions close August 9, 2019. Donations are open year round.
“I want to continue to celebrate new poetic voices and build personal relationships like those that made my mother so special,” said Ramseyer. “This contest allowed me to do that. I cannot wait for year two.”
Click here for contest webpage.
